Personal electronic devices are commonly used for communication, entertainment purposes, as well as Internet access and a variety of other purposes. Examples of personal electronic devices include smartphones, tablet computers, gaming devices, audio players, video players, cameras, portable computers, two-way radios, GPS receivers, smart glasses, virtual reality glasses or helmets, masks or eyewear including an electronic display, and/or other portable devices. Protective cases for electronic devices provide protection for the electronic device from various forms of damage, including damage from dust, water, snow, dirt, and drops. Exemplary protective cases are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,342,325 and 9,300,344, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Many electronic devices include a camera and associated flash, such as a flash LED, for providing light when taking a picture with the camera. The camera and flash are often positioned in close proximity, such as on the rear of the electronic device. It can be desirable to include a lens covering with the protective case to protect the camera and/or flash from damage, such as scratches or water. However, the presence of a protective lens over one or both of the camera and flash reduces the amount of light transmitted from the flash to subject, as well as the light from the subject to the camera aperture.
In some electronic devices, an audio port for a speaker or microphone may be positioned proximate the camera and/or flash. However, covering the audio port with a lens may decrease the quality of the sound transmitted across the lens, resulting in unacceptable audio quality.
Improvements in the foregoing are desired.